He also admitted driving a vehicle when the proportion of a controlled drug, namely Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in his blood was 2.1mcg per litre of blood and Benzoylecgonine was 71mcg per litre of blood. He also admitted driving without an MoT.

Prosecutor Emma Lenanton said that when the police spoke to the defendant in his car at 10pm they noticed his speech was slurred, his eyes were red and glazed and there was a strong smell of cannabis coming from inside the vehicle.

“Sargent handed over four skunk buds and said he had smoked some 30 minutes previously and when they carried out a search of the vehicle it revealed a green handled knife,” she said.

“He gave a negative breath test reading but because of the state he was in blood was taken and as a result he was over the limit in relation to the two specified drugs in the charge including cannabis and a cocaine metabolite.

Defending solicitor Joseph Wright said that Sargent had smoked a small amount of cannabis shortly before driving but the higher level was the cocaine metabolite which could stay in someone’s system for up to five days.

“Losing his licence will have a massive impact as he has been a lorry driver for the past four or five years and he is now going to have to sort out another job or start claiming benefits,” he said.